The court, which issued notice to the ED seeking its reply by June 5, also directed the ED not to take any coercive action against Chidambaram in the matter till then.

New Delhi: Former Union minister and Congress leader P Chidambaram has been granted protection from arrest in the Aircel-Maxis case till June 5 by a special CBI Court on Wednesday.

The Delhi Court has now asked the "Enforcement Directorate not to take any coercive action against Chidambaram till that time." This was after the former Finance Minister moved his plea for anticipatory bail in the Aircel-Maxis case in which his son, Karti Chidambaram, was also given interim protection from arrest till July 10.

Senior advocate and Congress leader Kapil Sibal appeared in court to argue for P Chidambaram. Sibal stated that the anticipatory bail plea was moved as the ED had summoned Chidambaram to appear before them on June 5.

The court has sought a reply from the Enforcement Directorate on the anticipatory bail plea moved by Chidambaram in the matter. The agency has to file its reply by June 5.

The Central Bureau of Investigation and the Enforcement Directorate are probing Karti Chidambaram over his alleged involvement in obtaining Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) clearance in the Aircel-Maxis deal.

The deal took place when his father P Chidambaram was the Union Finance Minister in 2006.

In another major development, P Chidambaram has also moved the Delhi High Court with an application for an anticipatory bail in the INX media case. The hearing is slated to take place today at 3pm.

Earlier on May 18, the Supreme Court allowed Karti Chidambaram, son of senior Congress leader P Chidambaram, to travel to the United Kingdom, Germany and Spain with certain conditions, including that he would not open or close any bank accounts abroad.

Karti is also facing probe in the INX Media corruption case. He is accused of getting irregular FIPB clearance for investments up to Rs 305 crore. Karti was arrested from Chennai airport on March 1 this year in the INX Media case. He was later granted bail.